FEBRUARY 27, 2026 – Secretary of War Pete Hegseth today announced that the War Department will conditionally continue to provide support to Scouting America — formerly the Boy Scouts of America — following the youth organization’s commitment to pull all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from its program.
During a video released on social media today, Hegseth said that he had been “seriously considering” ending all Scouting America support — which has traditionally come in the form of personnel support and access to DOW equipment, installations, facilities and offices worldwide — as a result of the “once great” Boy Scouts of America making significant cultural changes in the early 2010s.
“After 2012, however, the Boy Scouts lost their way, and a once-great organization became gravely wounded. [DEI] crept in, the name was changed to ‘Scouting America,’ girls were accepted [and] the focus on God as the ruler of the universe was watered down to include openness to humanism and Earth-centered pagan religions,” Hegseth said during his address.
He noted that scouting membership dropped from 10 million boys participating in the Boy Scouts in 1970 to less than 1 million boys and girls participating in Scouting America in 2026.
The secretary said his motivation for cutting ties with the scouts was linked to what he said are the organization’s violations of President Donald J. Trump’s Jan. 21, 2025, Executive Order 14173, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”
“But, before making this big change, I decided to meet with the current scouting leadership to convey our deep concerns,” Hegseth said, adding that Scouting America eventually agreed to several “key reforms” based on a series of ongoing conversations between Scouting America, himself and other senior War Department officials.
Those reforms are outlined in a signed memorandum of understanding for partnership and policy alignment between the Pentagon and Scouting America that states Scouting America will ensure full adherence with the principles contained in Executive Order 14173.
“This includes reviewing and replacing politicized, divisive and discriminatory language throughout the organization, programs and all publications. No more DEI. Zero,” Hegseth said.
Scouting America has also agreed to discontinue its “citizenship in society” merit badge, which made it mandatory for those with the rank of Life Scout to “realize the benefits of diversity, equity, inclusion and ethical leadership,” prior to being allowed to advance to the rank of Eagle Scout, according to Scouting America’s official website.
The organization also changed a policy that didn’t distinguish between male and female participants’ biological sex at birth.
“Accordingly, Scouting America membership applications will continue to only provide ‘male’ and ‘female’ as sex designations. Scouting America will enact a policy that indicates that biological boys and biological girls will not be permitted to share intimate spaces, including toilets, showers and tents,” the MOU continues, adding that similar policies will be enacted toward scout leaders, volunteers, staff and any other individuals involved with the scouts.
In addition to the first three actions regarding the rollback of DEI outlined in the memo, the document also lists a pair of changes that are meant to be conducive to the War Department and Scouting America getting back into a mutual alignment that promotes the “frontiersman ethos,” which prepped young men for the military and supported recruitment throughout the services.
First, “Scouting America will honor those who serve by waiving the registration fees for the children of active-duty, guard and reserve families,” Hegseth said.
“[Also], in partnership with the War Department, Scouting America will introduce a new military service merit badge,” the secretary added.
The requirements for earning the new merit badge are forthcoming.
Additionally, the MOU calls for a “designated liaison” — a Pentagon-appointed, uniformed officer or full-time employee — to serve as primary liaison to Scouting America in accordance with the War Department’s Joint Ethics Regulation.
The memo further states that the designated liaison will be responsible for keeping regular communications open between the Pentagon and Scouting America, and facilitating coordination on matters that may be of mutual interest related to the MOU.
“These, and other changes that Scouting America’s leadership committed to [at the Pentagon] will hopefully result in a rededication to the foundational ideals that have defined scouting for generations: duty to God and country, leadership, character and service,” Hegseth said.
In exchange for Scouting America making all the aforementioned adjustments to its organization, the War Department will allow for “Scouting America activities to occur on U.S. military installations and in DOW facilities, with appropriate logistical services support, in the United States, its territories or in foreign countries as authorized and approved under applicable law and DOW policy,” per the MOU.
In the past, the War Department’s in-kind support for the scouts had primarily come in the form of contributing manpower, equipment and services to the scouts’ national jamboree. The event occurs every four years, with the next one scheduled for July.
The Pentagon has treated each jamboree as a large-scale training exercise in logistics, with support for the scouts authorized by Congress in 1972.
During his remarks, Hegseth noted that the agreement between the War Department and Scouting America is contingent on Scouting America making “substantial progress” on the MOU’s agreed-upon changes over time.
“Ideally, I believe the Boy Scouts should go back to being the Boy Scouts as originally founded: a group that develops boys into men,” Hegseth said toward the end of his remarks, adding that he looks forward to providing the public with updates on Scouting America’s progress with adhering to the MOU.
By Matthew Olay
Pentagon News